


United Front

by bayoublackjack



Series: Love in London [15]
Category: Elementary (TV), Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Established Relationship, F/M, Holmes Brothers, Multiple Crossovers, POV Joan Watson, Sibling Rivalry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-27
Updated: 2014-09-27
Packaged: 2018-02-18 22:52:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2364971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bayoublackjack/pseuds/bayoublackjack
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joan and John's announcement of their reconciliation is met with hostility when the Holmes brothers realize the implications on their lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	United Front

“Ready?” Joan asked.

John took a deep breath and let out.  “Ready.”  He nodded.

The two of them stood in the kitchen of Joan’s townhouse, soon to be their home once more.  John had just finished pouring tea from the pot into four cups while Joan had completed the task of arranging biscuits on a plate.  She set the plate on the tray along with the tea and John lifted it into his hands.

“We can do this,” Joan assured him.  “We just have to appeal to their logical sides and no matter what, we have to stand firm and maintain a united front.”

“United front,” John agreed with a nod.

“That’s right.”  She nodded.  “Relax,” she added a moment later as she placed a kiss near the corner of his mouth.  “We’ll get them to see things our way.”

John leaned into the kiss.  “Easier said than done.”

With synchronised breaths, Joan pushed the door separating the kitchen and the lounge open and John led the way through.  The two detectives were awaiting their return and yet neither of them fully acknowledged the Watsons’ renewed presence in the room.  The elder Sherlock sat off to the side at a desk poring over haphazardly scattered bits of newspaper.  He had arrived earlier practically gleeful at the prospect of a new case to solve.  The younger Sherlock stood with his back to them, staring out the window that looked out upon the garden behind the house.  His hands were clasped behind his back and there was no doubt that he was lost in his mind palace.

“Tea’s ready,” Joan announced.

Joan’s Sherlock acknowledged them first.  “Tea and biscuits,” he said looking at the tray.

“Joan said these were your favourite,” John replied as he set a cup of tea down next to him.

“My favourite biscuits,” Sherlock commented curiously.

“To soften the blow, I imagine,” the other Sherlock responded.  He turned to face the room.  Joan offered him a cup of tea and he settled into the wingback chair next to the fireplace with it.  “Pay attention, brother.  They have an announcement.”

Sherlock turned in his seat to face them fully.  “Proceed,” he gestured.

“Sherlock is right,” Joan began.

“Naturally,” Sherlock commented lazily as he took a sip of his tea.

“John and I have something we need to tell you both,” Joan announced.  “We…”

“You’re back together,” her Sherlock interrupted.

Joan nodded.  “Yes.”

“For several weeks now,” his brother chimed in.

“You’ve started wearing your hair up more,” the first continued.  “You put your hair up when you want to look your best.  You think it’s more flattering. You’re wrong, of course.  It’s a draw.”

“You’ve resume your sexual relationship as well,” the younger man added.  “The signs are all there, the positive change in John’s demeanour after your  _therapy sessions_ and the ever so slight difference in his gait.”  He turned his attention to John.  “She’s certainly more adventurous than your previous partners, John.”

John pinched the bridge of his nose and looked skyward for strength.  “Please stop talking.”

“Alright,” Joan interjected calmly.  “So you know John and I are back together,” she conceded.  “Then it shouldn’t come as a shock that we want to return to our previous living arrangements.”  She looked at her Sherlock.  “Which means…”

“You want me to move back to Baker Street,” Sherlock stated.

“No,” the other detective said.

Sherlock turned to his brother.  “It wasn’t a request.”

“And if it were, you would still be denied.”  Sherlock set his tea aside.  “I have systems.  Processes.”  He steepled his hands in front of his face.  “Your presence is a constant distraction.”

“So ignore me.”

Sherlock closed his eyes and sighed dramatically.  “A lifelong ambition.”

The elder man paused for a moment then jumped up from his seat.  He paced back and forth a few times as he watched his brother.  Joan and John exchanged looks before she asked, “Okay.  What’s going on?”

Sherlock ignored Joan’s question and focused on his brother.  He walked over to the chair and stood in front of him.  “I assume that at this juncture you’ve progressed from denial to anger?”

Sherlock kept his eyes closed.  “Anger?  What do I have to be angry about?”

“In a word?  Molly.”

John looked back and forth between the two men.  “What does Molly have to do with…whatever this is?”

“I’ll explain later,” Joan assured him.

Sherlock opened his eyes and regarded his brother with a look of utter annoyance.  “I don’t like you touching my things.”

“People aren’t things, William.”

Sherlock waved his hand dismissively.  “You moved my things the last time you stayed at Baker Street.”

“I have my own processes as well,” the elder replied, gesturing towards the desk as proof.

“Your processes interfere with mine.”

“So your needs supersede mine now?”

“It’s my flat.”

“I lived there first.”

“ _Lived_ .  Past tense.  You moved and it became mine.”

“Moved?  I was in rehab.”

“The fact remains…”

“The fact remains,” the elder man cut in.  “That the flat became vacant when you faked your death, as such, all rights revert back to me.”

“And then you moved out again,” his brother reminded him.  “The flat is mine.  No take backs,” he said with a victorious smirk playing on his lips.

“Fine,” Sherlock conceded.  “Perhaps, Molly has room.”  He turned on his heels, but not before witnessing his brother’s smirk fade into a full on scowl.

“Will you stop it?”  Joan demanded.  “The two of you sound like children.”

“He started it,” the Sherlocks said in unison.

“And I’m ending it,” Joan retorted.  “Sherlock, you need to move out,” she said to her detective before turning her attention to the other.  “And you’re going to let him move back into 221B,” she declared.  “It’s not a request.  It’s just the way it is.  John and I need to have our home to ourselves if we’re going to make our marriage work.  So if either of us means anything to either of you, then you’ll put your differences aside and let us have this one thing.”

John looked to his friend.  “It’s really important to us.”

“Well, Billy?” Sherlock prompted.  “What’ll it be?”

Sherlock closed his eyes again and resumed his usual thoughtful stance.  “There will be ground rules,” he informed his brother.  “Stop touching my things.”

“If you showed the proper care and attention, then perhaps my touch wouldn’t be necessary,” his brother countered.

Sherlock’s upper lip twitched, but he schooled his features into a perfect look of indifference.  “Clyde stays here.”

“Overruled,” the elder protested calmly.  “Clyde is an integral piece of my process.”

“Then he stays in your room.”

“He likes to roam.”

“Perhaps, we should let him roam into traffic.”

“Sherlock!” Joan and John said in unison.

“We both know even  _you_ aren’t that heartless, William,” the older brother insisted.  “As a compromise, I will only allow him to roam in communal areas when you’re out of the flat or I’m in the middle of a case.”

Sherlock considered the offer.  “Accepted.”

Joan and John took that opportunity to excuse themselves to the kitchen.  “I think this may actually work,” John said with a relieved sigh.

“I hope so,” Joan replied.

“One question, what was that bit about Molly?” he asked seriously.

“Sherlock’s been spending a lot of time with her working on cases,” Joan told him.  “It seems like your Sherlock is…well…jealous.”

“Sherlock jealous because of Molly?”  John cracked a smile.  “About time don’t you think?  At this rate, we’ll all be paired off.”

“Not my Sherlock.”

“No,” John agreed then paused thoughtfully.  “What about Divya?”

“I can say with certainty that Sherlock and Divya aren’t in the cards.”


End file.
